Hall of Fame
Debbie Polak earned swimming All-American honors at Shippensburg four years in a row. She also was team MVP all four years.
During her freshman year in 1979 she earned All-American honors in five events at the AIAW Division III national championships. She set a Pennsylvania Conference record in the 400 yard individual medley (4:54.70) and a new school record in the 100 yard individual medley (1:03.41). Shippensburg placed third in the conference and 17th at the national championships.
In 1980 she was All-American in seven different events, three individual and four relays. She was seventh in the 200 individual medley, setting a new school record with a time of 2:16.00, fifth in the 100 freestyle with a time of 54.41 and fifth in the 100 individual medley with another school record of 1:03.40. She also was conference champion in the 200 I.M., the 100 freestyle and 100 I.M. Shippensburg was third in the conference and seventh at the nationals.
In 1981 she anchored Shippensburg’s 200 yard freestyle relay team to a national title. The quartet of Kelly Lightner, Missy Brown, Carole Cowdrey and Polak was clocked in at 1:40.04. Polak earned All-American honors in two other relay events and three individual events. She was 14th in the 200 freestyle, seventh in the 100 freestyle and sixth in the 100 individual medley. Shippensburg placed third in the conference and sixth at the national championships.
Polak finished her senior year with a flourish, earning All-American honors in four individual events and three relays. She was third in the country in the 100 yard butterfly, fourth in the 200 freestyle, the 100 freestyle and the 100 individual medley. She anchored the 400 freestyle relay to fourth at the nationals, the 200 freestyle relay to fourth and the 200 medley relay to ninth.
Shippensburg placed third in the conference and eighth at the national championships in 1982. At the conference championships Polak was second in three individual events and she broke three school records during the season.
For her career Polak earned All-American honors 25 times and to this day holds four school records (200 fly, 2:13.31; 100 I.M., 1:02.57; 200 I.M., 2:15.00; 400 I.M., 4:47.50).
Following graduation Polak taught at the Willow School in Willow Grove until 1985. She also was the swimming instructor at the Willow School Summer Day Camp. From 1985 to June of 1989 she was a teacher with the Program of Auxiliary Services for Students in Bala Cywnyd.
